Stogie Reviews: Tatuaje The Drac
16 Nov 2009
Available at a only a select few stores, Tatuaje built on the success of last year’s “Frank” with two more limited release Halloween cigars in 2009: “Boris” (a Frank “out of costume”—i.e., with a different, less green wrapper) and the Drac.
Drac is a fang-shaped torpedo (6.75 x 52) with a simple red and black band around the foot. Only 1,300 boxes of 13 cigars each were made of the habano maduro-wrapped Nicaraguan puro.
Individual cigars sold for $13 each, if not a few dollars more due to the high demand for the smokes. I was fortunate enough to land a pair of the sought-after sticks from a friend of a friend who had gotten his hands on a box.
In response to some issues with those boxes, Tatuaje maker Pete Johnson put out a special bulletin on the Tatuaje website recommending that people put the cigars in their humidor without the box for a few weeks. It seems that since the coffin-shaped boxes were delayed, they smelled of fresh paint when the cigars were boxed. So Johnson recommended waiting for that odor to dissipate.
I didn’t notice any paint smells from the samples I smoked, which had spent enough time in the humidor before they were smoked. But the Drac did have a distinct aroma of sweet licorice and it left a notable bready flavor on my lips when I drew on the unlit cigar. The dark brown, matte wrapper had a few prominent veins and was slightly spongy to the touch.
The Drac opened up with an interesting combination of raisin and prune flavors mixed with a bit of chalk and subtle mint. It was also peppery on the lips. As the cigar progressed, it became leathery, occasionally to the point of some bitterness. In the final third, dry woody notes were added to the lively flavor profile.
Construction was quite good, with an exceptionally sturdy light gray ash. The torpedo produces plenty of smoke, although at times the deliberate draw bordered on tight.
This is an interesting cigar, with many twists and turns and a very unique and complex combination of flavors. The Tatuaje Drac earns four stogies out of five.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]
photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
I like smoking the Drac while painting anyway. Did you ever notice the newspaper used as a drop cloth leads to interesting reading? Especially when you're into fiction.
I wish I had a "friend of a friend" who would send me two of their Dracs? I completely struck out in my efforts to get my hands on these.
I've heard a lot of people says its Pete's best smoke. I have one resting in the humidor
Padronnie- Yes I was very fortunate. Thanks to John P for the smokes.
These are an amazing smoke, especially if it doesn't carry the paint smell/taste; probably one of the best this year in my opinion. I got lucky and had a pre-release. 97
I got my hands on one, although not at that ridiculously low $13 MSRP–I paid a 50 percent premium. I was glad I did it for the "once in a lifetime" experience factor, but I can't say it was the best Tatuaje I've ever had–very good, without a doubt, but not the best ever.
I smoked two of these so far and both were just not up to par with a typical Tatuaje. It was not bad, just not what I was expecting. They seem to need a little age to take the "edge" off of them. However, the Boris is a great stick! If you liked the Frank, try the Boris!
The Drac, and I love Tatuaje, was rushed. I smoked quite a few and while some were good, others had problems. Most of those who said they loved it were overwhelmed with hype. There was alot of flavor, but then again, all tatuaje cigars have "alot of flavor." Give me a cojonu 2003 any day. Now thats a cigar. The rest of these dracs are going in the bin and maybe theyll even out after a while.
Gave these some age and they are smoking very well!; packed full with flavor and a perfect draw. IMHO these are better than the Boris which everyone said was good.
My local B&M had 7 of these for sale ($14.95)… I bought three and am about to buy the four more they have. I can't believe they still have them. Pretty crazy. No one else knows what they are apparently lol.